America is still mine

In honor of the Fourth of July, here is a list of random things that make me feel more patriotic and inhabit the kind of America that I like best.


Percy Jackson. These aren't great lit, but seriously, what is? Each book features a sort of road trip through different parts of America so every part of America is represented. And even though Rick Riordan doesn't have a very descriptive style, it's still vivid and ridiculously American.


American Wing Courtyard. If I am in a majorly patriotic mood, I come here to chill. It's full of crazy American art and stained glass and neoclassic sculptures. It makes you feel like we really do have something to be proud of artistically.


X-Files. Even though the whole point of the show is corrupt government men with power who want to kill us, sometimes it's just like "baseball!" or "sweet potato pie!" and you have to shed a tear for our nation.


Moby-Dick and other whale-inspired things. What's cooler than American nautical folk art? Basically nothing. And come on, it's the Great American Novel and that needs some respect.


Twilight Soundtracks. Because Twilight drips of American culture, so three albums worth of music written specially for Twilight has to be dripping with America too.


Luce Center. I like American art better than European now (Van Gogh, Lichtenstein and Klee aside) and I think it is because of the Luce Center. I've never seen folk art put together on display in such an invigorating way.


Bolt. You knew Disney would wrangle its way onto this list somehow. Bolt might not be Disney's finest achievement. But they travel across the country using a WAFFLE MAP and I am a sucker for anything with a trailer park.


Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree. Goldfrapp is a British artist who wrote an album inspired by the USA. Because of that it's really poignant and epic. And the music is beautiful of course.

So remember, even though we have a crap government, Americans invented like everything awesome. The government is only a small part of a country.